How to share cancer history with a date?
Meet the Experts
Leslie R. Schover, Ph.D. is a renowned psychologist with a special interest in helping people resolve or manage their sexual problems, especially those problems connected with a chronic illness such as cancer. She is the author of patient education booklets published by the American Cancer Society titled “Sexuality and Cancer: For the Woman with Cancer and Her Partner,” and “Sexuality and Cancer: For the Man with Cancer and His Partner.”
Debra Thaler-DeMers, R.N., O.C.N., P.H.N. is a hematology-oncology nurse at the Peterson Cancer Center of the Stanford Hospital in Stanford, California, and President of Cancer ACCESS, an advocacy and counseling organization for people affected by cancer.
Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.
Question from J.C.: How would you explain to someone on a date that you are in a good position to be cancer free?
- Answer —Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder: When you share the information about your breast cancer history, you can also add in that your doctors have reassured you that you have an excellent prognosis and every reason to be confident in your treatment, and that they've encouraged you to go on with your life and plan for the future. Also, time really helps in this department. The longer you are out from your diagnosis, the more reassured everyone is.
On Wednesday, February 20, 2002, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Intimacy, Sex and Your Love Life. Leslie R. Schover, Ph.D., Debra Thaler-DeMers, R.N., O.C.N., P.H.N., and Marisa Weiss, M.D. answered your questions about how to improve your sex life during and after breast cancer treatment.
The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.
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